


A Weapon Fit to Kill a King

by Sanjikunsgirl



Category: One Piece
Genre: Abuse, Action/Adventure, Anger, Angst, Dark, Drama, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Original Character(s), Physical Abuse, Psychological Trauma, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:21:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23605231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sanjikunsgirl/pseuds/Sanjikunsgirl
Summary: Gol D. Roger is the man who has accomplished everything. Fame, wealth and power are all his and thus is why he is known as the Pirate King. The most famous man in the world who has everything, really just wants a little time with the woman he loves and hidden from the world. Adventure is all grand, and he wouldn't give it up for the world but even the Pirate King needs a little down time once in awhile. Roger is all set for that when a chance encounter with an enemy Marine ship turns his plans up on their head. Discovering a secret message tips the Roger Pirates off on the Marine's planning on creating a weapon that sole purpose is to be rid of the Pirate King and his crew. The news though, isn't really new to Roger, but caution is not completely tossed to the side. Though his precious time with Rouge is about to be put in peril when Roger finds himself face to face with a machine meant to kill him, an assassin with a Devil Fruit, and a race against the clock to get back the woman he loves and his cabin boys from the clutches of a man who wishes to present the Pirate King's head to the World Government. The ocean will be dyed red with blood, the only question is: Will it be Roger's, Rouge's, his boys or a mad mans?
Relationships: Akagami no Shanks | Red-Haired Shanks & Buggy, Gol D. Roger & Silvers Rayleigh, Gol D. Roger/Portgas D. Rouge
Comments: 8
Kudos: 10





	1. Passing Messages

The stories and legends about Gol D. Roger, captain of the Oro Jackson and the King of the Pirates were grand and elaborate about his adventures across the Grand Line and the whole world at large. He was the last person anyone could imagine sitting down at a writing desk in his cabin while the rest of his crew were throwing a large and loud party, celebrating a victory against an enemy ship and helping themselves to the spoils of the battle.

Roger, on the other hand, opened a drawer in his desk and carefully removed a piece of parchment, running a large hand over it in an attempt to flatten the edges that had begun curling slightly from the way it had been sitting in the desk. Once a month he wrote to the one person who had ever successfully captured the famed Pirate King’s heart. Portgas D. Rouge was a beautifully strong, independent and sweet woman who took no foolishness from the fun loving pirate, but she was just as fun loving and filled with life as Roger could ever ask. Each time he had returned to Baterilla, he swept her up into his arms and held her tightly, never wanting to let her go and cherishing every moment they had together.

Roger had everything a pirate should want, every ounce of gold, treasure, fear, respect and power any one man could command. Though, in truth, they meant nothing to Roger in the grand scheme of things. What he wanted was the fun and adventure with his nakama, the laughs and thrill of exploring lands and meeting new people and making even more connections with people. Though only one crew member, his first mate Silver Rayleigh, knew that Roger’s greatest adventure and treasure was the young woman waiting for his messages back on Baterilla. He couldn’t write a letter, not a traditional one anyhow, there was too big a chance of the Marine’s intercepting it and reading it. If they discovered the woman he loved they would use her as bait to lure Roger and his men into a trap. Roger had to keep her protected, keep her a secret from all but his most trusted crew members. It was perhaps the one regret that the Pirate King would ever have, that his love was a danger to the most incredible and amazing woman he had ever met, but she always assured him that she wanted this as much as he wanted it.

The Pirate King reached for a quill, gently tapping it against the side to get the excess ink from the tip, not wanting the quill to blot while he was writing. When it came to writing to Rouge, Roger took extra care to write neatly and clearly, the tip of the quill scratching against the paper as he sat there with a look of absolute determination set upon his face. He wanted Rouge to be able to feel the love he had for her radiating off the page, as well as the excitement he had for the current adventure he was describing for her.

Though as he wrote it, each word carefully thought out, it sounded more like he was simply writing a log of what happened, which is not uncommon for a captain of any vessel.

He described his morning, the daily routine of the ship, the sighting of the enemy ship and the following battle, though when it came time to describe it Roger was a little more vague on some of the details. The last thing he wanted to do was give her cause to worry, but he figured that was really a mute point. “Still, better to leave out the bloody parts,” Roger mused with a chuckle as he tapped the feathered part of quill against his face with a smile spread across his lips.

When it came to writing it was difficult, letters in words could sometimes appear mixed up and backwards, it made reading and writing a struggle for the Pirate King and so many people inferred it was a lack of intelligence on the pirates part, and this made surprising people with how intelligent he actually was amusing. He found the look of shock on someone’s face when he could not only respond to a situation with wits and cleverness but a flair for the dramatics and work a grand plan out that could get his crew out of the many tight spots they could find themselves in. Roger was captain for a multitude of reasons, and you didn’t get the title of Pirate King, and keep it, without knowing how to outsmart your enemies and always find a way to come out on top. Keeping his men alive and well so that they could continue sailing was part of his responsibility. He also had the added concern of keeping Rouge, so far away, safe from the world ever finding out she had a connection with him. So Roger always had to have a plan in place, and at times he could have two or three formed and ready to play out at any given situation.

Though he was grateful that it didn’t rest only on his shoulders. Rayleigh was the greatest first mate that he could ever ask for. A man who could read Roger’s slightest twitch in his muscles and know exactly what his captain had in mind and would react accordingly. The entire crew tried their hardest to read to flow from their captain, and from the most part they understood him without orders needing to be shouted. Though the younger members, the cabin boys Shanks and Buggy, could often get gun-ho about things and misunderstand what was actually intended. It was a good thing that Rayleigh was there to, literally, knock some sense into the boys. Though as the months ticked by they were learning and were shaping up to be impressive pirates. Roger mused, and he had mentioned this to Rouge a few times, that he could see them running their own pirate crews one day, and he hoped he was around long enough to see that. Those boys had become special to Roger, and he had come to think of them as his own sons. He mentioned to Rouge the idea of having children, though he knew how dangerous having a child of his blood could be. It wasn’t just because he was the Pirate King, though that had a bit to do with it, but it was the Will of the D., the one thing he could pass to his child that would shake the world. Though a child bearing his blood would be hated and hunted for the rest of their life.

Rouge had assured him that, if it happened, that any child they made together would have been made from the sweet and tender love they shared between each other. This was a woman who could assure Roger that the sky was purple and the ocean gold and he would believe her without hesitation. She spoke with a gentle tone but with a confidence that made you stand at attention and listen. The only other person who could make Roger do that was Rayleigh, but unlike Rogue, Roger purposefully went out of his way to annoy his first mate as the Pirate King enjoyed the expressions and reactions the other man would give him. Though at this point of their relationship there was an understanding that it was just them fooling around and how they showed that they cared for each other in a way that was unique only to them. It was a friendship forged through years of hardships and long nights drinking together, a friendship that was stronger then anything naturally made in this world.

When Roger had finished penning his message, he looked it over. To anyone else who didn’t know its intended meaning, it was very simple, matter-of-fact over view of his day, from waking up to the fight. God, there was so much more that he wanted to tell her but it would have to wait until the day he could make his way back to that island and wrap his arms around her. That was a day he dreamed about in secret, and when Rayleigh would inform him they should start heading for supplies, Roger always set sail for Baterilla, as long as they weren’t too far away.

“I should have known you would be in here when I didn’t see you celebrating.”

“It was about time I sent her another message, its been long enough.”

Roger stood up from his writing desk, carefully folding the paper up until it could fit snug into a white, envelope. He turned around and gave a large grin to his first mate and best friend.

Rayleigh stood in the doorway to the Captains Quarters, arms crossed over his broad chest as his shoulder rested against the wooden door frame. There was a small, amused smile across his face as the light from the candle Roger had been writing from reflected off his First Mate’s glasses as strands of blonde hair framed the side of his face. The other man was the one person Roger trusted with all of his secrets, the one man that had been standing by the Pirate Kings side the longest. No matter how much of a hard time either of them gave the other they had each other’s backs through thick and thin and Roger would never want anyone else to be watching over him then Rayleigh. The Pirate King held up the envelope then, giving it a small shake. He wasn’t sure how long he had been working on writing the letter, it was night time now but the sun had been getting low in the sky by the end of their battle, so he could have been in here an hour, or possibly three hours. It didn’t really matter, the party sounded like it was still in full swing.

Roger walked forward and looked past Rayleigh to the deck, listening to the sounds of his men’s laughter, the music from their musicians raising up into the air and giving the entire ship a lively feel of joy and dancing.

“Seems like they’re having a good time,” Roger mused with a smile, dark eyes had a glint of warmth in them as he watched his men dancing, laughing, singing and drinking. It had been a hard fight and they had been very lucky to only suffer injuries. So many times was there a chance that they could lose someone, that they had lost someone. It never got any easier to watch his men sink beneath the water as they set them out for a burial at sea to rest. 

“They are having a good time, it was a good haul and spirits are high. Another day at sea where they have an adventure and a story to tell. Another day for them to live and do it all over again.”

Rayleigh reached out a hand and clasped it on Roger’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze as he smiled at his Captain.

Roger looked to his First Mate and he smiled widely as he carefully slipped the envelope into the inner pocket of his red captains coat, patting where it rested against his chest as he watched. He would send it out first thing in the morning, the News Coo was resting atop the mast and it would do no good to wake it up and send it out this late at night, Roger understood that rest was important for the birds.

Roger made his way out onto the deck, taking a mug of ale that was offered to him by one of his crew members. Roger laughed and took a seat on a crate and watched as some of his men were dancing, others clapping their hands in rhythm of the music, and Shanks and Buggy arguing between each other, just another normal night that filled Roger with pride and warmth for his crew.

“Let’s party into the night!” Roger declared, holding his mug into the air.

The crew cheered and the joyous voices of his men rose into the night air and Roger smiled as he watched and crew, downing his ale before grabbing another. Roger enjoyed watching his men. This was one of his favorite moments when it came to being a pirate, the little joys he and his crew found in every moment.

They partied long into the night, well Rayleigh eventually sent the cabin boys to bed with the order that they would need to be up in the morning to start helping some of the men clean up the mess of the party in the morning. Roger was the last to bed, excluding the men on night watch. He wished them a good night and made his way to his cabin and prepared for bed, carefully laying his coat over the back of his desk chair.

“I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to give the order for the crew to head to bed. We’re going to have some grumpy men in the morning, maybe they’ll learn to be a little more responsible with how they celebrate after a victory like that. Though, its been awhile since we’ve had something really to celebrate. The Marine’s have been hounding us harder and harder as of late. Probably want to try and stop you from getting any bigger than you already are.” Rayleigh’s voice broke the silence of Roger’s cabin, the other man as relaxed as he could be. “Though...I have a concern that I stumbled across on this last enemy ship, something I wanted to discuss with you once the bulk of the crew finally settled down and went to bed.”

“Oh?” Roger asked as he looked up. “It must be something serious if you need to talk to me in private. Alright, shut the door and take a seat. I probably wasn’t going to fall right asleep anyway, got a lot on my mind and a little more isn’t going to make much of a difference. I’ve been missing Rouge something terrible...been thinking about setting course and heading to Baterilla and visiting her for a bit, its been awhile since we were docked at port and I’m sure the crew could use some time on land, being at sea too long can start to wear on even the most strong pirate.”

Roger stopped when he took notice of the serious expression on Rayleigh’s face. Slowly, the Pirate King sat down on the edge of his bed, leaning forward, one hand resting on his knee, his arm on the other. Rayleigh had his complete attention.

Silver Rayleigh took his job as first mate seriously, and Roger knew that he was always watching the Captain’s back. When something was bothering him it was not something to be taken lightly. “What’s wrong Rayleigh? What did you find on that ship that has you upset like this?”

Rayleigh reached into his shirt pocket, removing a carefully folded set of papers and holding it out for the Captain to take.

“The Marine’s are planning something,” he said. “Something big.”

“When aren’t they?” Roger muttered. “They are always messing with things they should leave well enough alone, and they have the balls to sit there and call me a demon and a monster.”

“It’s because you stand against everything they believe,” Rayleigh replied.

“I stand against them because I’m not a complete and utter ass. I’m just a man who wants adventure and freedom.”

Roger could feel Rayleigh’s eyes boring into him as the captain carefully unfolded the papers and his dark eyes slowly began scanning over the neatly typed words, mouthing the words as he read them so that he could have a better chance of understanding what he read. “A...weapon?”

“One they’ve been working on for some time,” Rayleigh said in a low tone.

“And they just had these relay messages printed out on a desk?”

“Either someone was an idiot, or they wanted you to find it.”

“They wanted me to find it?” Roger repeated. “What the hell could they be thinking, then?”

The answer to that question would never be an easy one to figure out. The Marine’s had so many layers of deceit and lies it was difficult at times to really distinguish them from pirates. They were suppose to be the good guys, but Roger had seen enough pain and suffering caused by them as some pirates raiding a town. At times you really couldn’t tell who was truly worse.

If what he was reading was accurate, and Roger had no reason not to believe it, then the Marines were planning something to take battling pirates to a whole new level of devastation.

Roger dismissed Rayleigh for the night, this was a topic they would pick up in the morning, though as Roger laid in bed and stared up at the ceiling, his thoughts would not allow him to find rest. Why were important messages, that SHOULD have been transported by more secure means, on a regular Marine ship, out in the open of the Commanders desk for anyone to stumble across? It didn’t sit right with the Pirate King, who rubbed his temple in frustration as he was only getting more questions that didn’t make any sense to him. The only thing that made sense was that it was bait, maybe they hoped that Roger would grow curious and try and hunt down this ‘weapon’ that was repeatedly mentioned.

Though right now, all he wanted to do was hold Rouge tight.

When morning came, Roger felt like he had spent the entire night fighting a bear with how tired he was but as a captain he didn’t have the luxury to sleep in until he felt better, no he had to be up and functioning and ready to deal with whatever the day was to throw at him. He went to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on his face, shaking his head as he felt his body beginning to wake up. On a ship this size, if you weren’t one of the first ones up you’ll be waiting all morning for a chance to clean up in the bathroom.

He left the bathroom, feeling more refreshed then he had when he entered. He walked back to his room to dress for the day. Changing out of the gray sweatpants he often slept in to a white dress shirt and black pants, pulling his red captains coat over his shoulders and picking his hat up from his desk and placing it on his head.

He walked to the mast and whistled up at the News Coo that was stretching his wings and waking up for the day. The seagull fluttered down and landed on a barrel and outstretched its wing so that Roger could place his little message carefully within its bag. Roger had made prier arrangements with the newspaper, having amassed quite a lot of wealth had its benefits, so that he would deliver the newspaper to Rouge with his message to her tucked safely inside. For the last few months it had been a smooth and less problematic way to make sure that the two lovers were able to continue to communicate with each other with only a small chance of interception by the Marines.

The News Coo made a soft squawk before spreading his wings and flying away, heading towards his destination. Roger stood there and watched the gull until he had disappeared over the horizon. A small smile spread over Roger’s face as he felt his heart quicken in anticipation. He knew Rogue would be so happy to get his little coded message, it would let her know he was alright and well and that he planned on making his way towards her for a small visit. The horizon was filled with the warm glows of gold, yellow and orange as the sun was peeking over the horizon to greet the new day. “This is going to be a good day, I can feel it.”

Though he was well aware that the conversation he was going to need to have with Rayleigh about what was touched upon last night would dampen the good mood he was in, but for the moment it was not something he needed to worry the rest of his crew until Roger was certain about what course of action that he was going to take. Although Roger has been known to rush into situations in the name of adventure, when there was such a heavy threat of death he couldn’t be so reckless. These men trusted Roger to look out for their well-being and not to treat them like disposable assets. There were too many other crews out there that thought the lives of their men were only to be used to further the Captain’s goals and Roger could never understand that. Yes, he knew that sometimes you had to be willing to sacrifice, and these men were ready to lay down their lives for the Pirate King, but that didn’t mean he wanted to use it recklessly. He didn’t want unnecessary deaths on his hands that he could have avoided, he had enough blood on his hands from calculated risks that he didn’t need to add anymore.

“Now it’s time for a hearty breakfast!”

Roger turned and walked into the dining area of the Oro Jackson, the long rows of tables were mostly empty except for the night watch, who were having breakfast and getting ready to head to sleep as the rest of the crew were beginning to stir for the morning. He saw Rayleigh and gave his first mate a wide, bright grin and waved to him, walking over and throwing his arm around his first mate, their usual morning greeting.

“You look like you haven’t slept well,” Rayleigh pushed his Captain off him.

“I slept about as well as I could have.”

“Well then, I take it you were mulling over what we talked about?” Rayleigh asked as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

“Did you expect me not to? It’s not exactly something you tell someone and then expect them to just shrug it off.”

Rayleigh chuckled at that before turning to head to one of the tables to sit down to talk. “I didn’t think you would, Roger.” Rayleigh said, taking a sip of the drink while it was still hot. “What I’m wondering is what you plan on our next course of action being? I understand you miss Rouge, but if the Marine’s are planning something we need to be careful.” The First Mate sat his mug down on the table, storm gray eyes looking into the dark liquid. “We’ve known for awhile that the Marine’s have been growing antsy with how big of a name you’ve grown for yourself and the things you’ve done, a lot of them for the sole purpose of getting under the skin of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons, it was only time before they seriously began trying to wipe you off the face of the planet.”

“They can try,” Roger replied as he sat down his plate of food. “I have no plans on dying anytime soon.”

“Good,” Rayleigh leaned across the table. “My question is, are you really going to be heading to see her right now? We have something serious that has been laid out before us and ignoring it is going to cause more problems for us down the road...and problems for her too.”

The First Mate’s eyes stared hard at his Captain, who was quickly devouring his plate of eggs and breakfast meat like a man who had been stranded on an uninhabited island and hadn’t eaten for weeks. Rayleigh sighed, leaning back before he continued. “I’m not without understanding what its like to be in love Roger, and I’m glad you found her but you can’t ignore that you could be leading danger right to her doorstep.”

“I’m not,” Roger said after swallowing a mouthful of food. “Her simply being seen with me puts her in danger, we both understood that the first time our feelings became more.”

“That doesn’t mean you should continue recklessly.”

“Rayleigh, I get to see her, if I’m lucky, two months out of the year and that’s not even consistent, I’m not giving up what time I can manage to squeeze in for her.”

“Roger,” the First Mate sighed his Captain’s name before giving a shake of his head slowly. It was an argument he wasn’t going to win, never could when it came to Rouge. “You can be as stubborn as a jackass, you know that?”

“I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I have if I wasn’t, even just a little. Look, I know you’re bringing this up because you’re concerned Rayleigh, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t, but if they really have a new toy they want to try out on me, they’re going to release it on their terms, not ours.” Roger stabbed his fork into a sausage link then and brought it up to his mouth as he took the whole thing into his mouth, chewing it a few times before swallowing and continuing his thought. “They’re not going to release something like that on an island full of civilians, it would be harder for them to cover up and they like to do as little work as they possibly can.”

“You know that’s only half true,” Rayleigh said as he tapped his finger on the side of his mug as he was processing his Captain’s words. “We’ve both seen enough of the Government’s bullshit to know one island full of people is worth the cost if it gets rid of their biggest headache.”

“You’re right,” Roger conceded. “I’m going on hope on that one, but also some logic that they won’t risk it, not unless its a sure win for them.”

“Even if it wasn’t, they would just blame the wreckage on us.”

“Ain’t that the truth? Half the world thinks I’m some type of monster, and most of that is from their own Government using me as a scapegoat!”

Rayleigh rolled his eyes, but there was a small smirk on his face as he listened to the loud laughter of his Captain. “If I didn’t know better, you sound almost proud of that. A normal man would try to clear his name, not sound like being the Governments personal demon is an accomplishment.”

Roger finished off his plate then, leaving not even a crumb on it. His dark eyes looked up from his friend as he watched his nakama beginning to make their way in, some looking like they weren’t even fully awake, into the dining area to help themselves to breakfast before they headed about their duties on the ship. These men were the best men Roger could ask for, each one of them strong and capable to survive on the harsh waters of the Grand Line, each one of them an important member of the family Roger had made himself. There wasn’t a single member there that wouldn’t die for him, if he so demanded it.

“Captain?” Rayleigh’s voice cut through Roger’s thoughts. “The decision is ultimately yours, and I’ll carry it out without question...but you best be prepared that at any moment you could find yourself facing down something that we’ve never come across before on any of our travels.”

Roger looked at his friend then, smiling widely as his reply.

“Of course, why am I not surprised? I’ll make sure that course is set for Baterilla, not even sure why I asked.”

Roger let out a deep chuckle and shrugged his shoulders. “Not entirely sure myself, but you did.”

Rayleigh took another sip of coffee, as if it would give him the strength he needed. “I figure we’ll dock around the back of the island, stock up on some supplies while we’re there. We aren’t low, but its foolish to miss the opportunity to stay ahead of empty stores of supplies, and I’m sure the shops won’t mind too much. How long are you planning on us being on shore for? It will give me an idea how to lay out the planning and get everyone where they need to be.”

Roger rubbed his chin as he thought about that question.

“Of course,” Rayleigh sighed. “You can be the smartest man I know sometimes and other times you leave me to question how the hell you’ve gotten as far as you have. Well, you have time to decide that, its not like we are going to dock at the island in the next hour or so, so I would suggest maybe plan that out?”

“A week?” Roger suggested. “I would like to aim for that, anyhow.”

Rayleigh nodded, and the look on his face told Roger that the other man wasn’t so sure if that was possible but Roger was always willing to try and get as much as he could from what small moments he could have. He stood up, taking his plate and heading off to hand it to the kitchen staff. He could hear arguing and he glanced off to the side to see Shanks and Buggy, as per usual, going at each other for some reason or another. Roger sat his plate down and made his way over to the boys, placing a hand on each of their shoulder’s and silencing their argument. “I’m willing to bet you boys even argue when you’re asleep, am I right?”

“Captain!” The boys cried out in surprise. “Captain, he’s the one that started it! That’s not true, he started it!”

“Now, now...you both don’t need to be shouting when I’m standing right here. What are you arguing about now?”

“Just arguing over which one of us took down more Marines then the other one,” Shanks explained and Roger’s dark eyes glanced from one boy to the other, waiting for them to realize it was a stupid argument. “Sorry Captain, it’s not really worth fighting over, is it? We were talking about which one of us was the better pirate here and I got caught up in arguing with Buggy...I am sorry Buggy, I should have just let the argument go and I’m gonna let it go right now.”

“Good,” Roger said with a nod. “Wouldn’t want to get on Rayleigh’s bad side so early in the morning, do you? Don’t even think he finished his coffee...you know how he is without his first cup of coffee.”

“Is something going on?” Rayleigh’s voice came from behind Roger as the First Mate made his way over. “You boys causing such a ruckus in the morning that the Captain had to come over and handle it himself? I think you boys might need some extra chores this morning to keep you occupied? I know some cleaning that needs to be done, and inventory that needs to be check so...are you boys going to go on your own or do I need to assign which one goes where?”

“Rayleigh,” Roger said with a laugh before letting go of the boys and ruffling their hair with a big smile as he turned back to his friend. “Let the boys eat their breakfast, they will get to work afterwards and they were just trying to impress the other. You know how boys that age are, we were just like that when we were their age. It’s just boys being boys and trying to prove they’re ready to set sail themselves!”

Rayleigh looked from Roger to the two cabin boys before letting out a sigh and shaking his head. “Finish your breakfast and then get ready to start your chores for the day and I don’t want to hear a single argument from you two, got it?” Rayleigh narrowed his eyes at the boys who quickly nodded their heads and turn around to face their plates to continue eating without drawing anymore attention to themselves.

“They’re just like I was when I was a kid.”

“Yeah, nothing but trouble and a headache for the one person who takes their job seriously.”

“Aw, I didn’t know you thought like that!” Roger said, mock hurt in his voice.

“I know my words cut you deep,” Rayleigh shook his head, but there was a smile on his face as they were simply just messing with each other. “Captain, do you still have the papers from last night?”

Roger nodded and the two of them walked from the dining area. This conversation wasn’t meant for the boys to hear, not even some of the crew needed to know everything until they were sure how they wanted to proceed with this knowledge. Roger had been reading going over the messages in his mind, they weren’t well coded, not like the ones he sent to Rouge, this screamed like they were left out intentionally.

They stepped out onto the deck, the day was warm and white clouds offered some momentary shade from the sun. It was going to be a good day, as far as Roger was concerned and even with this new information that was had been presented to them the Pirate King was not going to let it worry him too much, at least at this very moment. What could he do? They knew nothing about this weapon that is mentioned, from what Roger could gather it wasn’t completely done and even the Marine’s were unsure about how effective it would be in practice.

“Here,” Roger pulled out the papers and handed it to Rayleigh. “I’ve read and reread it and all we have is speculation on if its ready or not.”

“That’s not a comforting thought,” the First Mate replied as he took back the papers and unfolded them, gray eyes looking over the words. “They just continue referencing it as their perfect weapon.”

“I doubt it’s as perfect as they want it to be.”

“It just doesn’t sit well with me that this was just sitting out in the open...why the Commander wouldn’t have locked it away or even burned it to keep other eyes from seeing it that wasn’t suppose to.”

Roger stroked his chin as they walked to the bow of the ship, his dark eyes cast to the horizon as he took Rayleigh’s concern seriously. This was not comforting, even if it was left out by accident the information it contained hinted at something that could be detrimental to him and his crew.

“And yet you’re not going to change your plans?” Rayleigh asked.

“No,” Roger replied. “And if I did, that would tip them off even more.”

“How would that tip them off?”

“If I start acting like I am expecting them to jump out at any moment, they’re going to know I know. You know as well as I do that the Government has people watching and reporting on us. In every town we’ve stopped at someone has been watching us closely, and it will take time before they find out we sunk that ship.”

Roger could see the look of disbelief on Rayleigh’s face, but his First Mate slowly shook his head in defeat to his Captain’s logic.

“You’re right about them finding out about the ship,” Rayleigh conceded as he rubbed the bridge of his nose with a tired sigh. Roger understood the concern and worry his friend had, but the Pirate King hadn’t gotten this far by being cautious about every decision that he had made.

“You’re going to have to trust me,” Roger said with a grin. “I haven’t lead us wrong yet, have I?”

“Do you really want me to answer that?” Rayleigh asked with a slight arch of his eyebrow, but a small smile crossed his face. “And if you have, you’ve always managed to get us out of it.”

“That’s what a Captain’s job, to get his crew into trouble and get them out of trouble in the same breath,” Roger said with a laugh and he slapped Rayleigh on the shoulder, causing the blonde man to stumble forward at the force of the blow. Even if Roger wasn’t even using his full strength, he was still an incredibly strong man who got where he was without the use of a devil fruit. Roger wanted to be the strongest without having to rely on powers that were not gained from hard work and training. Not that he looked down on anyone with a devil fruit, in truth he respected them, that was just not the way that he wanted to do things. He wanted to get there on his own merit. Which might have been part of the reason he wasn’t going to hide from this master weapon that the Government was planning to release. He wanted to face it head on and destroy it with his own hands.

“And you do your job well,” Rayleigh said with a smile. “This is why the boys can be such a pain in the ass.”

“Oh?” Roger asked with a hearty laugh. “Shanks and Buggy are going to be famous in their own right one day, mark my words. They’ll surpass us...and that’s what you want in the next generation, one better than the previous.”

Roger believed in that strongly, that no matter how famous he was at this moment, he wanted the next generation to become stronger, to forge new paths and have new adventures that the Pirate King hadn’t even dreamed of yet.

“We have our own duties to tend to,” Roger finally said as he turned away from the railing and looked over the Oro Jackson with a fond smile that was upon his face. This was his home and he did want to defend it.

He made his way around the ship, helping man the sails, detail what they would need to purchase when they came into town, helping some of the members train and prepare for battle as one never knew when an enemy would cross their path. Roger wasn’t like most Captains, he worked with his crew and he wanted them to be prepared as they traveled the oceans. He wanted them to be ready for anything, perhaps more now then ever given the information he had on hand because if the Marine’s attacked, it wouldn’t just be them with their weapon.

I can’t wait to see you again, Rouge...nothing is going to keep me from you. Roger thought with a small smile.

It was the only selfish thing that the Pirate King would ever want in his life. To hold and be held by the woman he loved with all his heart. Rouge would offer him a brief peace of mind while he was with her. In their time together he could pretend that he wasn’t hated by the world, that the only thing that existed was the two of them. He could never give her a proper life, but she had accepted that and loved him regardless. She had promised him that she would always wait for him, and that her heart belonged to him, while his belonged to her. There was never a stronger love in the world then the two of them, especially if you asked the Pirate King. She was one of the most precious treasures he had, and one day he hoped that they could have a child, one that would thrive in a world of love and know how important they were even if the rest of the world hated them. This trip back to his love would be the longest ever, and he would put the worry of the Government in the back of his mind for now, because what were the chances of the Government finding her? 

“I’m coming home, Rouge.”


	2. The Killing Machine

It was early one morning when the Oro Jackson carefully pulled into the docks, tossing down some rope to the pier below them as a fishermen that had been coming out to prepare his boat for the morning had seen the approaching pirate vessel and was beckoned over to help tie them off while the crew was dropping anchor. Once the ship was secure, the gang plank was dropped so that they could begin disembarking. The fisherman was not the only soul on the pier. While most of the town was sleeping peacefully, a young woman with strawberry blonde hair was quietly making her way down the pier towards the ship. Her baby blue dress moved gently in the morning breeze, long hair gently moving over her face. She tucked it behind her ear as soft, brown eyes looked up to the ship expectantly. She brought her hand to her face to stifle a small laugh as Roger, unable to wait any longer, and the gang plank would take too much time to get down, vaulted himself over the side of the ship and landed with a heavy thud upon the dock. Without loosing momentum, he sprung forward and opened his arms wide, catching her by her slender waist and lifting her up, spinning her around with the biggest and broadest smile that he ever had on his face. When it came to his love Roger could never be happier.

Roger sat her back down and rubbed his face against hers. The feeling of his mustache against her skin always made her laugh and he felt soft lips against his in a good morning greeting.

“I’ve missed you, Roger.”

Roger smiled softly. When it came to Rouge, he was as gentle as a kitten.

“Come on,” Rouge said softly as she took his hand and guided him down the dock. When Roger arrived he always made sure to make it as late, or early, as possible as to not cause too much of a ruckus, though many of the people that lived here didn’t pay him too much attention. They had gotten use to his couple of month visits, and his crew was always on their best behavior, and their coin was as good as anyone else when it came to commerce in the town.

Roger followed behind her with a love-struck smile upon his face.

“When I got your message, I was so excited,” Rouge said softly.

“I was excited to send it,” he replied.

“I am hoping that you’ll be able to stay for a little longer than last time. This has been the longest that you’ve been away and for awhile I was worried that the next time I got the newspaper I would discover you had been killed.”

Roger stopped, forcing her to stop and look back at him.

“Roger? What’s wrong?” A look of concern crossed her delicate face.

“I’m not dying anytime soon, they can’t keep me away from you.”

Roger meant that, and his confidence helped Rouge relax. She lead the rest of the way to her home. Roger closed the door behind him, hanging his hat and coat up on the rack beside the door. He smiled to himself as he thought how funny it was that such a simple and mundane gesture of having a place to hang your coat and hat made his heart feel like it was at ease.

He turned and headed down the hall towards the kitchen, which was located in the back of the house. Rouge had hurried back there ahead of him and was busying herself around the kitchen to make breakfast. Roger stood in the doorway, watching her. It had been so long since he had tasted Rouge’s cooking that he wasn’t going to turn the chance down now. He would never tell the ships cooks but their food could never compare to hers. There was a flavor in her cooking that no one was ever able to match, no matter how skilled they were behind the stove. Roger grabbed the back of the chair and pulled it out, sitting down and watching the most beautiful woman in the world moving around as she got out a frying pan and was preparing it for eggs.

It only took a few strides for Roger to be behind her and wrap his arms around her waist, nuzzling his face into the nape of her neck. Strawberry blonde hair falling over his face as he took in a deep breath of her, pulling her tight against his chest and holding her. Almost like he was afraid that if he let go, she would disappear and he would realize that this had all been just a dream. She smelled sweet, like the hibiscus flowers that she grew in the garden in the back of the house. She stopped and he felt her gentle hand rest over top of his and she leaned back into him. Roger let his eyes close and he felt all the tension and stress flow from his body. Neither of them needed to say anything, they both needed this embrace. They needed to feel that the other was really there and that they had found each other again. Roger wished he never had to let her go. That they could pretend this was their routine every morning. That in a little while Roger would go off to some job and Rouge would be here waiting for him when he returned.

“You are affectionate today,” Rouge said to him gently. “I love seeing this side of you, Roger.”

He let out a low hum in response as he nuzzled against her neck when there was a heavy knock at the front door.

They both stilled. A knock this early in the morning? Roger felt every nerve jump at the idea of trouble waiting just beyond the door.

“I’ve got it,” Rouge assured him gently.

Roger let his arms loosen enough so that Rouge could pull away and walk to the front of the house. He followed her into the hallway so far and ducked into a small closet, close enough that he could quickly spring into action if he needed to, but far enough away that he couldn’t be seen unless someone was peering into the house for the soul purpose of looking for someone.

Roger peeked out from the small closet, careful not to send a broom clattering to the ground as he could see Rouge talking to a man, much shorter then her. He came up to about her shoulder and he was dressed in a dark blue suit jacket, that was open to reveal a darker blue, button down shirt that was tucked into black dress slacks. His brown hair was combed neatly and he was wearing glasses that were square. He wasn’t a bad looking man, but something about him didn’t sit well with Roger.

Roger narrowed his eyes as his fingers gripped the frame of the door tightly as he steadied his breathing and listened in on their conversation. People didn’t visit this early just to borrow sugar, or whatever neighbors did.

“Good morning, Ms. Rouge.” The man greeted her. “I wanted to thank you for your kindness the other day.”

“It is nothing, Mr. Aki, I just couldn’t ignore a man who didn’t have enough to eat. I’m glad that I could help you.”

“Yes, and I wish to return the favor,” he replied with a curt nod of his head. Roger raised an eyebrow as he listened. Now, it didn’t surprise him that Rouge would go out of her way to help someone when they were need but this man was well dressed, clearly had money, how could he need help getting food?

Rogue waved her hand, dismissing the offer as she had done the deed without intention of being repaid. “It’s nothing to worry about, I hope you didn’t come here this early just for this?”

The man shook his head, and for a brief moment Roger saw the man’s eyes shift past Rouge before back to her. “No, Ms. Rouge, I have work that I must be finishing up.”

“It was good to see you again, Mr. Aki, please take care!” She said with a polite nod.

“As it was you, Ms. Rouge,” he replied as he turned to leave but looked back at her. “Pirates are in the port, you should be careful.”

With that, the man walked away and Rouge shut the door.

“Roger, you don’t have to keep hiding, it wasn’t as if there was a Marine at my doorstep this morning,” Rouge said as she turned around and gave Roger a small smile.

Roger walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a tight embrace, nuzzling against her strawberry blonde hair. How could he tell her that anyone he didn’t know was suspicious. Perhaps even more so that man who sent a chill down Roger’s spine just looking at him. There was more to that Aki then just someone who knew how to dress well and this made Roger even more wary that he seemed to have some kind of relationship with Rouge.

“Roger,” Rouge laughed gently against his chest. “If I didn’t know better, I would say you were jealous,” she said in a soft, teasing tone.

Roger let her go and stepped back, he looked at her and watched as her smile began to fade as she took notice of the serious expression that was on his face. Roger didn’t want to ruin their time together with what ifs and paranoia about the fact there could be an enemy waiting around every corner. He smiled then and gently placed a hand on her cheek, his thumb caressing her soft, pale cheek as ebony eyes looked down at her with a gentle warmth that was for her and her alone. Maybe he was a little jealous? Was that also such an out of the way possibility?

“Roger, what’s wrong?” Rouge asked as she reached her hand up and gently took his bigger one, moving it off her face and gently pressing her soft lips against his callused fingers. Her face was filled with concern as hazel eyes looked up into his and the love and concern Roger saw reflected back in them was enough to make the Pirate King smile and shake his head slowly.

“I missed you terribly, Rouge.” Roger said softly.

“I missed you too, I love you Gol D. Roger.”

He chuckled at that. When Rouge full named him she either meant it, or he had gotten himself into some serious trouble. And when it came to Rouge, it was the one time being in trouble was not something he wanted to find himself in.

“I love you too, Portgas D. Rouge...the most incredible woman in the world.”

“You stop with that sweet talk right now!” Rouge said, her cheeks flushing red.

“Never, not when I’m only speaking the truth,” Roger said as he gently brushed back her hair from Rouge’s face, gently tucking some of the loose strands behind her ear with a smile.

She pushed away from him, looking away as the pink on her cheeks was darkening.

“You are such a terrible flirt when you want to be!” Rouge complained.

“I can be,” agreed Roger with a chuckle as he reached out and gently captured one of her hands in his.

“Let me go back and finish making you something to eat,” Rouge looked back at him with a gentle smile. “You must be hungry.”

“No, I’m not hungry...I just want to be with you.”

Rouge gave him a look of disbelief and it wasn’t too big a surprise that she didn’t believe him. Roger couldn’t think of any other time he would turn down food, it was a running joke on the Oro Jackson that if you wanted to catch the Pirate King simply just lay out a buffet for him.

“If I believed that, I would have to think you’re sick and send you straight to your ships doctor,” Rouge replied as she placed a hand gently on his forehead.

“I promise I’m not sick,” he gently took her hand and removed it from his forehead with a smile. “I really just want to be close to you, at least for right now.” Roger said in his most reassuring tone.

Rouge sighed with defeat. “I do have some errands to run today, and could use help.” Rouge looked up at him with a smile as she went back to the kitchen and returned a few moments later with a hand basket and a piece of paper. Roger figured she probably intended to go shopping and he didn’t mind. He left his hat and coat hanging, it was easier to blend in if he didn’t draw attention to himself. Even if a lot of the townspeople were use to his presence, he didn’t want to give anyone a reason to bother Rouge.

When they arrived at the market, which was in full swing by mid morning, it was crowded with people standing around the center. Many of the stalls were empty of patrons and many of the shop keepers had closed and had joined the ever growing crowd. It really seemed like Roger and Rouge were the last to know about whatever had drawn the crowd to the center of the marketplace.

“I don’t remember anything being planned today,” Rouge said as they stood at one end of the market street. “There’s no festival or celebration today...perhaps someone traveling to sell their wares. Let’s go and take a look Roger, it could be something worth buying! It certainly wouldn’t hurt to look!”

“Alright, alright Rouge!” Roger said with a chuckle. “We can check it out.”

She smiled brightly at him, heading towards the large crowd.

Roger fell in step behind her, as they approached the crowd he could hear someone shouting above the crowd, talking about a new way to keep the streets clean, or something along those lines, Roger wasn’t really listening until he got up close.

Standing in the center was an ordinary looking man, Roger barely paid him attention. It was what was standing next to him that had the Pirate King on edge, and every instinct at high alert. Beside the man, a foot even taller than Roger himself, was a golden machine, built to resemble a man, standing on a platform in the center of town. It was built with joints designed to mimic human motion and a golden sphere in the stomach to allow it to spin around. Instead of a face there was a camera lens, an eerie red color that put Roger in the mind of blood and that really was the last thing about it that set Roger on edge. The conversation he had with Rayleigh raced to the front of his mind, the ‘weapon’ that the relay message had been describing was suddenly staring Roger down in the last place he had ever expected danger to find him. In a little town that should have been the last place on any Marine’s target.

It was the first time Roger froze. The man talking hadn’t noticed him and if he grabbed Rouge and started backing out he could draw his attention. In the same thought, if he didn’t leave he was putting every single civilian here in danger. Roger cursed his luck, as it ran with equal parts good and bad and clearly he ran the bad today. He took one step backwards, just a small movement, but the machine’s head whirred and snapped to attention, the camera lens seeming to reflect Roger and the man stopped talking then. He smiled widely and looked like a giddy school boy who was excited to be able to show off his newest toy to the other kids in the school yard.

There was only a brief pause before the machine’s gears whirred to life, steam coming off of its back, giving it an added boost of momentum when it sprung off the platform. Roger only had a moment to react and that was to bring his arms up to shield his face from the impact of the punch. If it hadn’t been for the, almost instinctual action of coating his arms in armament haki, Roger would have been certain his forearm would have been shattered in the impact. Instead, he was sent flying backwards down the fairway of the marketplace and crashing so hard into the ground, he could feel his body carving an indent into it as he slowed. He heard people scream and without even seeing it, knew the market had broken out into panic. With a groan, Roger pulled himself to his feet, eyes quickly scanning for both the threat, and for Rouge.

Ebony eyes landed on Rouge and relief washed through him, she didn’t look hurt and that was all that mattered. Before he even had the chance to call out to her, to tell her to run, his vision was filled with the golden machine, whose cold claws wrapped around Rogers neck and used the momentum from its attack to lift Roger from his feet and slam him down again.

Roger let out a grunt, his fingers gripping the smooth metal of the arm tightly. He could feel it beginning to dent under his strength as the machine stopped its motion, pinning him to the ground. Roger heard the sound of footsteps slowly approaching him, a man chuckling, almost giddily, as he approached.

“YOU are the infamous Pirate King? You are NOTHING like I imagined!” The man peeked past his creation with a broad smile.

“Sorry...to disappoint...” Roger said with a laugh before letting out a grunt as he felt golden claws digging into his throat. “Your shiny toy caught me by surprise.”

The man was a bit on the heavier side, completely bald with a small gray beard which he was stroking as he was considering Roger’s smarmy reply before chuckling himself. He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his black pants. “This is far easier then anticipated...”

The man never finished his sentence when a hand basket slammed into his head.

“I should have known,” Roger said as he forced the claw from his neck. “You’d come.”

He reached out, grabbing the machine in the small opening between its chest plate and the ball that allowed it to pivot and turn. His other hand resting on its shoulder as he lifted the machine up and over his head, slamming it down on the ground, much like he had seen people do in street fights of his youth. The machine was heavy, but given it was a solid chunk of metal, gears and wires he really shouldn’t have been surprised.

Roger grabbed Rouge’s arm and yanked her along. There were too many people here, too many that could get caught up in this chaos, and although he was concerned about them the person he wanted to protect the most was the woman who was stumbling along behind him. He had to find someplace for her to hide, someplace that would be, relatively, safe from the man and the weapon. The bald man didn’t have any emblem of a World Government employee, that didn’t mean he wasn’t undercover. Roger had to get a hold of him and demand how he knew to be here. Because the worst thought was that Roger had a rat on his crew.

Roger threw open the door to a store and shoved Rouge in and slammed the door shut behind her before she could even voice any sort of protest. She had already taken a gamble in attacking the man, and he was grateful for the small opening she had given him but he could not let her remain in the heat of the battle. She may have been another D, but battle was not her strong suit and he was not letting her get hurt because of him. His crew was going to hear the panic from the townspeople and he was sure they would be on their way to check on their captain. He had to lure this thing away before the center of the marketplace was completely destroyed.

It was a loud and terrified scream, cut short by a choking sound, that made Roger turn around so quickly he almost felt motion sick.

The machine stood there, on the end of one of its claws was a young man, probably no more than twenty, at most, with a look of utmost terror on his face. The machine’s clawed hand, the one that Roger had to rip off his own throat which was bleeding but he barely noticed, had run through the center of the man’s chest. A spot of red was slowly growing over the man’s turquoise color shirt. The red liquid slowly dripped off the knife like claws, steadily soaking the cobblestone street, running through the stones much like a river would through a forest. Roger was in momentary shock, the young man looked similar to him, as if Roger was looking at himself when he first set sail.

The machine jerked its arm back, yanking it from the young man’s chest, who fell forward onto his knees and then onto the ground.

“What a bother,” the bald man grumbled as he rubbed where Rouge’s basket had left a welt. 

“A...bother?” Roger asked as his hand balled into a fist, trembling as he could feel anger beginning to boil his blood.

“Yes...I need to work on its face recognition,” the bald man sighed.

The anger in Roger’s ebony eyes came off in a powerful wave, almost as if he was standing in the epicenter of an explosion and the powerful shock wave that came off him spread out far and wide. Any with a will weaker than the Pirate Kings was immediately knocked unconscious, unable to withstand the force of will that emanated off the man who had claimed everything in the world. The bald man never stood a chance, his eyes rolling into the back of his head and falling to the ground with a heavy thud. This left only Roger and the machine to face each other down.

The red lens of the camera tilted up until Roger could see his reflection looking back at him.

The whirling sound of the gears picked up as it was preparing to move.

Roger narrowed his eyes, walking towards the machine slowly. The small river of blood slowly passing him as it followed the natural curve of the street. Innocent blood was always the first spilled.

It didn’t wait a moment longer, it sprung forward and lunged its hand out, intending to plunge it’s golden claws deep within Roger’s chest, hoping to pierce his heart like it had that young man’s.

“CAPTAIN!”

“STAY BACK!” Roger shouted as his hands clasped with the claws, feeling the blades dig into his skin. “This bastard is MINE!”

The machine pushed against Roger, its gears spinning faster to garner more traction.

“You don’t care...whose blood you spill, do you?” Roger growled out at it.

The machine only pushed harder, forcing Roger to slide back slightly as it moved forward slowly.

It truly was man vs. machine.

“The Government...will really stop at nothing to kill me...won’t they?”

The red lens gave no answer, there was no emotion, no free will, no choice. It was designed for one thing and it was going to fulfill that purpose. “You’re just a mindless...killing machine...that wants my head.”

Ebony eyes bore cold and filled with an anger that Roger hadn’t felt for a long time, a hatred that spurned from his childhood. “CAPTAIN! YOU CAN’T SERIOUSLY BE CONSIDERING TAKING THAT THING ON IN HAND TO HAND COMBAT?! ARE YOU CRAZY?!”

Roger heard Rayleigh’s voice silence his disbelieving nakama.

“If the Captain thinks he can take it, he can,” Rayleigh said matter-of-factually. Roger was grateful for his first mate, because the last thing he needed was his crew rushing in and getting themselves caught up in something that didn’t concern them. Roger tensed his muscles as he gritted his teeth, planting his feet on the ground as he felt his muscles strain under the machine’s force.

It wanted to pull Roger’s arms from their sockets, he could feel the straining of his bones and muscles as the machine was trying to pull them to the side and rip them off by sear force. Roger’s arms were still armament, and he thought to return the favor to it by doing the same thing.

Roger let go of the hands, only long enough to grab wear the forearms were on each side, his fingers digging into the metal. “Alright...you golden bastard!”

The sound of metal crunching and wires snapping under the force filled the air.

“CAPTAIN!” Roger’s crew shouted. “RIP IT A NEW ONE!”

Roger gritted his teeth so hard, grinding them together as he felt a surge of anger and rage flow through him. The dark emotions he kept buried inside until he was facing down an enemy, the only time he ever felt that he could truly release it without catching innocent people in his wrath. Roger wasn’t a saint, he had done terrible things and had hurt people when he finally lost his temper, but he worked hard to keep it as under control as he could, to keep himself from becoming the monster the Government was quick to claim he was. Though if they wanted him to be a monster, wanted to have a reason to hate him then he was going to be their monster. Rayleigh’s voice broke through his darkening thoughts then, “You are the Pirate King, leave them a reminder what that means.”

Roger let out a frustrated cry of anger as he yanked with all his might, the wires sparking as they were ripped from the machine’s sockets, causing it to stumble backwards from the violent tearing of its limbs from its body. “BASTARD!” Roger shouted as he swung the arms to the side, grabbing hold of the red lens as he began to crush it beneath his fingers, letting his anger and rage flow through him.

The machine’s lens shattered in his fingers, crushing part of the metal that formed it’s head as he forced it down with such force the ground caved around it as Roger raised his blackened fist and brought it down over and over again, a scream of anger that almost resembled a roar, coming from him as he continued the motion over and over again.

A strong hand grabbed his wrist and prevented him from striking the machine, its face resembling more of a crushed can then the weapon the bald man had been making it out to be. Sparks sizzled out from exposed wires as oil flowed down the cobblestone pavement much like blood. Roger was breathing heavy as he felt himself becoming rooted in the moment, having lost himself to memories of a past that fueled his anger and he had forgotten what he had been lashing out against repeatedly. He blinked his ebony eyes as he finally stood up from the machine, the armament fading from his arms as his chest rose and fell rapidly as he worked to regain himself. He looked around at his gathered crew with looks of concern on their face. It was Rayleigh’s powerful hand that helped to root the Pirate King to the present and he nodded his head in thanks. Roger didn’t trust himself to be able to speak, not until he had completely calmed.

Realization dawned on Roger suddenly and he yanked his arm away from Rayleigh and rushed back to the shop he had forced Rouge into. His hand was black, though this time from the life blood of the machine that had stained his skin over repeated impacts. He struggled with the handle of the door, as the oil made gripping things difficult. Finally he was able to fling the door open and rushed inside. He was greeted with an empty store and his first thought was she must of hid behind the counter with the shops owner, if things had gone wrong it would offer her some cover. He rushed to the counter, jumping over it without a thought and when he landed his feet made a squishing sound as he stumbled over something, crashing into the wall behind the counter and knocking down a display of canned goods that had been kept there. He braced himself by putting his clean hand against the wall, as the one covered with oil would not have offered him any traction and he probably would have crashed onto the floor with a heavy thud. Though it wouldn’t have mattered, as the sight that greeted his eyes caused his heart to freeze in his chest and his blood to run cold through his veins.

Laying on the floor was the body of the shopkeeper, his throat slit ear to ear. It was the body he had landed on, the wooden floor soaked in a puddle of dark blood. And Rouge was no where to be seen.


	3. Praying for a Miracle

The rush of emotions Roger had been feeling when he had been fighting the machine was dwarfed by the fear that gripped the Pirate Kings heart when he searched that town high and low to find Rouge, only to discover that she was not the only important person missing from his life. Shanks and Buggy had been left behind on the Oro Jackson to stand guard when most of the crew had rushed to the commotion, upon returning the deck was drenched in blood and the boys nowhere to be seen.

Roger’s world felt like it was suddenly spiraling out of control, though he did not miss a beat, ordering the injured to be tended to and handling the arrangements for the men who had died defending the ship. The men appeared to have been mauled, torn apart and limbs cast all over the ship, as if some massive animal had tore its way through them like a cat shredding paper. Rayleigh and Roger exchanged looks while examining the dead. Many men disemboweled, their organs thrown all over the place like macabre decorations.

Roger had never wanted to bring pain and misery to this town, and although only two innocent people lost their lives it still weighed heavily on the Pirate King, and the people of the town laid the blame squarely on his shoulders, and he could not give his deepest regrets enough to the young man and the shopkeeper’s family. His apologies would not bring them home and Rayleigh stood by his side when the Mayor of the Town told Roger he was calling the Marines. That was the last group of people that he wanted to see, as he was pretty sure they had a hand in it. Roger could only ask the Mayor to let him find Rouge and his cabin boys, let him bring the person who did this to a Pirate’s Justice.

“You really think you can find who did this? They were after you! For all you know Rouge and those boys are dead too!” He shouted at Roger. “Why should we let you go?”

“Because,” Roger began calmly. “My men were slaughtered, my cabin boys stolen and an innocent woman stolen...it’s my job to handle this,” his voice was solemn and gave no room for argument and the Mayor reluctantly agreed.

There was very little to go on from what happened on the ship. The men that survived had barely done so and were not strong enough for questioning by Roger or Rayleigh. Both men had to be strong and in control, but the Pirate King could read his First Mate easily and the blonde man was sick with worry. He gave those boys a hard time but they were still only boys and were like sons neither of them had. Roger knew they had to be alive, all three of them, and someone was getting ready to lay a trap.

That night Rayleigh was on deck, gripping tightly to the neck of a bottle as he threw his head back and downed it’s contents. Both men had examined the ship, finding deep gauges of claw marks in the wood. Whatever had come onto the ship had been large and strong, it had intended to kill as many as possible. The men that had puncture wounds around their neck had been shaken violently until the spine had snapped under the force of the bite and how they were being thrown about.

The First Mate was often the most composed of the two of them, and to see something hit him hard was not a common sight. In front of the remaining members of the crew neither of them could show any weakness, they had to be the guiding force for the other men for their next course of actions. In private, though, Roger could see how shaken his friend was and the lines of worry that were carving themselves deep into his face as Rayleigh stared out at the dark waters of the ocean. 

Quietly, the Captain came to stand on the other side of his First Mate, ebony eyes staring into the dark, still waters. Roger knew the dangers that were just beneath the calm water but what concerned him now was the dangers on land and how three people were depending on him to find them before they too joined the growing number of dead.

“This was the last thing I saw happening,” Roger said quietly as Rayleigh took another drink from his bottle before answering.

“No one saw this coming,” he replied.

Roger knew that was true, yet he felt like he should have been expecting something.

“Maybe,” the Pirate King began. “But we had warning...I chose to ignore it.”

“You did,” Rayleigh agreed. “Though how the hell were you suppose they knew where you would be? How were you suppose to know we have someone feeding the Marine’s information on our movements?”

Roger inwardly flinched at that question. It was a realization that had hit him harder then any blow from that infernal machine landed on him. He ran his fingers through wild, untameable ebony hair as he dragged his nails over his scalp. A spy, right there in their ship and there was no easy way to figure out who it was.

If whoever orchestrated this had been smart, that loose end would have quickly been tied up. Though Roger couldn’t be sure and questioning every single one of his remaining men would raise a flag to the double agent and he would be gone before they could get their hands on him.

The sound of footsteps behind them broke the silence that had fallen between both men, causing them to slowly turn and look at the young man with reddish-brown hair.

“Is there something you need?” Rayleigh asked as the night air seemed to become much colder then it had been moments before.

“I need to speak to both of you, urgently.” The young man replied.

“Alright, you’re talking to us,” Rayleigh was standing straighter now.

“Did something happen with one of the wounded?” Roger asked.

“No. I was told to deliver this to you, Captain.”

Roger cast a glance to his friend before looking back at the young man who had been on their crew about four months, his name was Andrew. He was polite, level headed and kept his cool in a fight and was always moving around the ship and doing his duties without complaint. To Roger he had been a pretty good man and had made many friends.

Roger tensed as he completely turned to face Andrew, his eyes narrowing but he made no move, only watching intently as the pirate reached into the red vest he wore over a pink, short sleeved shirt. Slowly he removed a white, folded letter that had been kept tucked inside the inner pocket. There was a rust colored stain on the back and the Pirate King didn’t have to be told twice that he was looking at a letter, most likely stained with the blood from one of his men:

The letter was held out to him, the man did not flinch who look terrified, if anything he looked like a man that had resigned himself to his fate without question or hesitation. This was a man who had known what he was doing when he joined the Roger Pirates, had planned from the beginning to simply be a tool and report their going on with whatever superior that he answered to. Roger wasn’t sure if he should be impressed with the sense of duty or furious that he hadn’t noticed something was wrong from the beginning. Though, to be fair, the man hadn’t really stood out to the Captain, he had blended in seamlessly with the crew and never drew attention to himself. He obviously had the makings of a good double agent and probably had been working for the Government for some time now if he knew how to play the part. 

Roger stepped forward and took the letter from him, carefully he unfolded it. Mindful of the blood splatter across the page. It was as if someone had written this while the slaughter was happening around them. Roger could feel a knot forming in his stomach and growing tighter as he read the words, his mouth moving so that he could better bring himself to understand the words. His blood was beginning to run cold and he could feel himself beginning to shake. It was a mix of fury and fear, though he was not afraid for himself, Roger hadn’t been afraid for himself since he was a boy. He was afraid for the woman he loved and the two boy’s he considered like his sons because now he was playing a game where their lives were on the line and every move that Roger was going to make from this point on was going to be watched very carefully.

Andrew stood there, arms behind his back and standing at attention much like a marine and Roger heard Rayleigh swear beneath his breath. They had both been had and Roger had never expected that to happen but pirates had infiltrated the marine’s and had done the exact same thing but in reverse. It had been naive of Roger to think that the marine’s would never try to do something like this just because it was not something he would have thought to do. Roger never thought to play with someone’s trust like that, he had seen how devastating trust being broken could be to someone. Roger had watched it enough in his youth that he stood by a strong moral code that nakama were important and not simply tools to be used and tossed aside for a goal. Some captain’s were like that but Roger got where he was by being different from everyone else out in the world.

Roger handed the letter over to Rayleigh, whose eyes scanned quickly over the letter, his face frowning as he gripped it tighter and looked up at the man standing across from them. Rayleigh went to say something and Roger held his hand out, silencing the First Mate before he could even utter one syllable of anger towards this man who was now no more then an enemy. He didn’t deserve any kindness, he didn’t deserve any mercy from either of them. Good men had died, had been slaughtered brutally and Rouge, Shanks and Buggy had been taken prisoner. Slowly, Roger began stepping forward until both men were within inches from each other. Roger could reach out and wrap his hands around the thin neck and snap it beneath his fingers, but if Roger did that he lost any chance of finding out where they were being kept prisoner.

“Are you going to kill me?” Andrew asked, cold blue eyes looking up into ebony without any feelings. “You would have every right to, I betrayed your trust...fed information to your enemy...but the Government doesn’t know about her...just one man whose entire mission in life is to execute you, and he has kept her a secret too.” Andrew explained, almost as if he was standing on the execution platform and was confessing all his sin’s before his demise. “Unless you can preform a miracle, they will die along with you...the end of the Pirate King is neigh.” He stood up straighter, tilting his head up. To Roger it looked like he was giving the Pirate King an opening to simply crush the man’s throat within his fingers. It would be satisfying to do so, Roger knew that it would give him some relief to be rid of the rat that had so much blood splattered over his hands.

His hand shook, it was so tempting and Andrew had just resolved himself to that type of fate and it was tempting in such a way that the Pirate King could no longer ignore the anger that boiled his blood.

Roger’s movements were quick, his face never faltering from the cold, unfeeling look that he returned to Andrew’s own. His hands grabbed the man on each side of his head, and with a quick twist, the air was filled with the loud snap of bones.

“Roger,” Rayleigh’s voice broke the silence as the body fell to the deck in a slump. “What is our next course of action?” He came to stand by his Captain’s side, staring down at the lifeless form.

Roger picked up the body by the front of his shirt, walking towards the railing as the body was dragged behind him. With little more effort then usual, as he was still sore from his fight with the golden machine, threw the corpse into the ocean water below.

Rayleigh snorted, a silent agreement between the two of them that he still got better than what he deserved.

“The Government likes it low blows,” Rayleigh said with a bitter tone. “Do you think he was telling the truth?”

“Captain!” One of his remaining crew called. “We heard a splash, someone fall over--”

The question was cut short as Roger stood there, fingers gripping the railing of the Oro Jackson so tightly that cracks began to run along the wood of the rail, threatening to shatter beneath the Pirate King’s iron like grip.

“No, no one,” Roger replied shortly, ending any and all questions about it.

“Has anyone in the infirmary woken up?” Rayleigh asked, bringing the pirates attention to him and off their Captain, there was a thickness in the air that was bitter to the tongue. Betrayal was always something that was foul to the palette and would linger long after it had been enacted.

“No sir, but they’re stable,” the man replied nervously.

Rayleigh gave the command to keep watch, to continue moving in group formation and to be prepared at any moment for a surprise attack. They would not let down their guard until the boys were returned to the ship and they were setting sail away from here and when the Captain needed everyone he would call for them.

“Yes Sir!”

The Pirate nodded and turned and quickly returned back from the direction in which he came. Roger figured he would be either returning to duty in the infirmary or heading to the dining area to pass along the order’s given from the First Mate and whisper about what he thought happened.

“They really expect us to let you go alone?” Rayleigh asked his friend.

“Of course,” Roger replied. “You read the letter just as I read it.”

“That’s suicide!” Rayleigh said as he tightened his grip on the letter, crumbling it in his hand.

Roger stepped back from the railing then, looking up at the inky night sky.

“I am the Captain, those boys are my responsibility...and I love her,” he said softly.

“Roger, whoever this man is, he laid out this elaborate trap,” Rayleigh said, frustrated.

“And I’m going to meet him,” Roger replied as he turned and began to walk towards the gang plank. He didn’t know how much time they had to sit down and argue back and forth about a plan or some idea on how to do this with their remaining nakama waiting to jump out of hiding to aide their Captain. How long was Andrew planning on waiting to deliver the letter? Granted, he was probably told to wait a certain amount of time before revealing himself but during that time what had the three of them endured? He seriously doubted they were getting the best of care.

“I’m going with you,” Rayleigh said as he reached out and grabbed Roger’s arm. “I will be damned if I’m going to let my Captain walk off and get himself killed because the Government can’t handle its own shit.”  
“This is beyond the length I thought they would go,” Roger admitted quietly as he let Rayleigh stop him.

“Roger, we’ve seen enough battles and destruction to know the Government is as corrupt as some of the pirates they chase down for justice.”

Roger’s ebony eyes glanced down to the fingers that gripped his arm tightly, he felt the fingers digging into his flesh, as if Rayleigh could hold him there.

“Let me go,” Roger said softly. “I know that I am walking into a trap, but if there is a chance I can get them out then I have to take it.”

“Roger...”

“I will not have anymore blood on my hands, and I’ll be DAMNED if it’s their blood being spilled!”

Rayleigh released his Captain from his grip and Roger gave him a reassuring smile, the kind he always gave right before he rushed off to do something that could very well get him killed.

“You trust me?” Roger asked, turning to face Rayleigh completely as his smile never faltered from his face. “Isn’t it my job to get us into trouble?”

“And my job to get you out of it,” Rayleigh replied with a sigh and a shake of his head slowly. “Which means I go with you.”

“Not this time,” Roger insisted, raising his voice slightly. “This time I need to get myself in and out of trouble.”

“That’s not how this partnership works!” Rayleigh shouted back as he narrowed his eyes, reaching forward and grabbing Roger’s shirt and holding it tight, yanking the raven haired man forward.

“You asked me to be your First Mate, dragged me on all kinds of stupid adventures and dragged me from one end of this damn ocean to another and another! We have seen things the Government never wanted us to see and have fought side by side each other through every single challenge that we’ve faced!”

“Your point?” Roger asked, gritting his teeth as his temper was growing short.

“My point,” he said as he let go of his Captain’s shirt slowly. “Is we do this together, just like every other time.”

There was never a better friend or First Mate that Roger could ask for than Rayleigh. He was a man who was as strong in his convictions as Roger was in his. The argument would go no further, and even if Roger could have physically forced Rayleigh to follow his command he wouldn’t, because he knew the other was right. If he went and something went wrong, then Rouge and the boys would be lost regardless. With the argument settled, the order to keep the ship locked down was made and the two of them disembarked. There was a forest that surrounded the little port town, giving it a secluded and peaceful feeling normally. Though as the two men approached the forest, it was cast into darkness and it had a foreboding presence about it. Roger followed the dirt path that cut through, glancing from side to side to try and peer through the branches and leaves of the trees surrounding them but all that Roger could see was a darkness that felt like it was advancing on them, threatening to swallow them up and cast them into a cold void that would deny them any light and cause their hearts to freeze within their chest. Though with the anger that raced through Roger’s veins he doubted anything would bring him cold. His mind refused to focus on what could be happening, instead he focused on the path before him and preparing himself for a confrontation that was surely waiting for them.

He couldn’t be sure how long they walked in silence before Rayleigh speaking snapped Roger’s attention from his thoughts. “We’re being watched...been watched for a little while now.”

Roger nodded in agreement as ebony eyes slowly shifted around the immediate area, but all he could see was the path before them curving into the forest, the out reaching branches of the trees threatening to grab at them, and an unending darkness.

Through all of that there was an intense feeling of eyes bearing into them, something was stalking them and was using the shadows of the forest to cloak itself from their view. The feeling of hunger made Roger’s skin crawl and now he knew what a lamb felt like when a wolf was stalking it, waiting for the right time to race out of the darkness and clasp its powerful jaws around him and drag him off into the darkness. Roger wasn’t so much afraid as he was simply unnerved. It was the not knowing that made every nerve of his on high alert and his muscles tense and ready to leap into action.

The two of them stood silent, their ears listening for the sound of even the smallest footfalls in the tree’s around them. Roger held his breath as he listened to the sound of the branches moving against the wind and even the smallest sound of Rayleigh shifting his weight on his feet. “Whoever this man is...he knows how to hunt and stalk...like he’s playing a game with us.”

That was not far from the truth. From the moment they stepped off the Oro Jackson that morning they had become pawns in someone else’s game. Roger hated being used and toyed with by people who played with rules that no one but they had access too and left everyone else trying to guess how to move about and Roger felt the added weight of if he didn’t play right more blood would be spilled. Now, he regretted innocent people dying but now he was more concerned with his love and his cabin boys, their lives trumped those of people he didn’t know. He just hoped that Rouge would be able to forgive him for his actions on behalf of saving her.

“Roger, if I was a would be assassin,” Rayleigh said as they stood back to back, preparing for a fight. “I would probably attack...right...about...now.”

Roger knew he was right, and the tension that had been growing steadily and steadily thicker finally snapped a gunshot rang out and the two men dove in opposite directions as the tree behind them exploded from the impact of the bullet against the bark, sending shards flying everywhere as Roger rolled and stood there on his knee as he scanned the darkness until he caught the faint glint of light off the barrel of a musket.

He would only have a few moments to be able to get to the would-be assassin before he moves into the darkness and vanishes from Roger’s sight and is able to take another shot at the two of them. He lunged into the forest, leaping much like a lion that had found its prey in the dark of a jungle.

When it came to hand to hand combat there was no one more skilled then the Pirate King, his heart was hammering in his chest as it felt like everything around him was slowing down to a crawl.

“YOU’RE NOT A BEAR?!”

Roger slammed into someone and they both went tumbling backwards down a slope, crashing at the bottom in a pile of mud and leaves.

Pinning down the unknown attacker beneath him, Roger came to realize it was one of the townsmen, gripping tightly to his gun with a look of sheer terror across his face, as if his life had flashed before his eyes. To be quite honest, that very well was probably what just happened. Roger quickly scrambled off the man, yanking him up by his arm, but he was careful how much strength he used against him because Roger knew he was just a regular civilian and the Pirate King, in his right mind, could not use all his strength against someone who could not withstand him. He sat the man down as he heard Rayleigh rushing in behind him as Roger yanked the musket from his hands and threw the gun down onto the ground angrily.

“What the HELL were you doing?!” Roger demanded from the trembling man before him.

The young man was trembling in fear as Roger towered over him, to be fair Roger towered over most people.

“Well,” he began as he shrunk down from the anger that was radiating off of the Pirate. “I was told...there was a bear...bothering the town and if I killed it...then I could get...”

“I think we were all set up, Roger.”

“I just wanted to help a little and maybe make some money on the side! If a bear came into town it could hurt someone!” The words tumbled rapidly out of the young man’s mouth, hoping to earn forgiveness.

Roger picked up the gun from the ground and thrust it into the man’s chest with a grunt of frustration. They watched as the townsman scrambled back up the hill, racing down the path back to the town and would most likely never go night hunting ever again, which was probably for the best.

Rayleigh had continued swearing beneath his breath as the two pirates climbed back up the slope to the path before them. To be greeted with a knife thrust into the dirt and another letter. Rayleigh got to it first, yanking the blade from the ground and lifting up the letter and his eyes quickly moving over the words there, his features slowly twisting into fury as he read.

He handed it to his Captain then, throwing the knife down into the ground, where it pierced into the dirt. Roger slowly began reading it, though he could hear his heart pounding in his head so loudly that Roger wasn’t sure if it really was his heart he heard pounding or someone slamming a drum in his ear. The letter was written in a neat and crisp handwriting that someone had clearly taken the time to write, every elegant curve of a letter was almost like a flourish, as if they had taken the letter writing as some form of art that they really wanted Roger to see.

'You were told to come alone, and you did not. Perhaps a visible warning will get you to take this seriously, Gol D. Roger.'

Rayleigh’s face, though twisted in anger he was barely containing, had paled as the words of the letter had clawed deep into his brain the meaning.

“Whoever he is, he’s just toying with us!” Rayleigh said as his fist was clenched so tightly by his side that it had begun to shake. “Just to watch us squirm!”

This was more than just watching them squirm. This was showing that he had all the pieces of the game and was carefully setting up for a massive attack to bear down on their side of the board. This was a game where there would not be many chances afforded a misstep. Roger was being shown that he was at a disadvantage, someone purposefully trying to make the Pirate King feel helpless.

“Roger?”

Rayleigh’s voice broke through to Roger’s thoughts and he looked up to his First Mate, the man who always stood by his side, no matter what decision the Pirate King made. Rayleigh was loyal without question and was the only person who knew the deeper workings of his Captain, the only person that would ever be allowed to see any hesitation, because Roger could never hesitate in front of his men.

“This isn’t just some half wit,” Roger said as he crumbled up the letter and tossed it to the side in his anger. “This man knows what he is doing, is acting without the Governments complete authority and what’s to play a game with lives that have nothing to do with this and he wants to make sure we know he’s in charge.”

The forest had fallen to an eerie silence as the two men stood there. What light from the moon there was penetrated the canopy of the trees, casting them mostly in darkness. It matched the heavy mood that had fallen between the two of them. They had taken a gamble and had lost and they couldn’t afford to lose. Roger was worried sick enough that his stomach knotted and twisted to the point that the Pirate King thought he would become violently ill there on the road.

There were so many unknowns in the air, it was an uncomfortable situation that left neither men knowing the right course of action, if there really was any course of action that they could take that wasn’t going to end with them getting an ear sent to them in some new letter that would be taunting them.

“Should we head back?” The First Mate asked after the silence had become so thick that the rustling of the leaves above them seemed more like a roar.

Roger nodded his head slowly, remaining standing there in the dark was getting them nowhere and whoever had control of this game was not going to make anymore moves tonight, or if he was he wasn’t going to be making anymore while they were standing there contemplating what this mad man’s next move was.

The trek back to the ship was as much done in silence as the trek into the forest, though this one was heavy with a foreboding feeling that neither man could shake. Roger knew the boys were, at least, prepared for being captured by an enemy and what that could entail. Rouge, on the other hand? She was a strong woman but she was still a civilian and not taught what to expect and prepare to endure.

Not that those boys should be expected to go through torture, they were young and still coming into their strength and skill set, they had so much more to learn and explore before they were ready to set sail on their own.

“This fight isn’t over Rayleigh, he might think he has everything planned out...but he made a crucial error.”

Rayleigh glanced at his Captain before nodding his head slowly.

Roger sounded confident and in control, and to be honest he was confident that this man had made a crucial error. He challenged Roger, but more importantly he endangered the lives of three people he cared for. Roger would stop at nothing until the boys were back on the ship and Rouge was back in his arms. He would destroy everything and anyone that came to claim his head, and he would continue searching. Someone like this was going to get overconfident and tip his hand, there was no way that arrogance wouldn’t be their downfall in the end. Though the Pirate King wasn’t just going to sit back and hope that the answers would fall into his lap, he wasn’t much for waiting for an answer anyway. He was a man that kept moving forward and dealing with whatever situation posed itself at a time. A good fight was a good fight and Roger thrived on those.

This wasn’t a normal fight, and for once Roger found himself standing at the railing of his ship and once more looking at the dark waters that reflected the moon, calm and still like they were a toy ship sitting atop a glass counter. It was still and unmoving and almost had an unnatural feel to it, like it wasn’t real. Roger wished beyond anything that none of this was real and that when he finally fell into a restless sleep tonight, he would wake in Rouge’s bed and discover this had been nothing but a terrible dream, that he would pull her bare form against his chest and hold her close, burying his face in her soft blonde hair and allowing himself to forget about the world and only focus on her. That was his hope, but those were wishes of a naive young man, and not a seasoned pirate who had seen how cruel the world, and his beloved sea, could be.

He leaned on the railing a bowed his head, ebony hair falling over his face as he stared at his reflection in the water, as if it would be able to give him an answer that Roger had been overlooking. If staring at the ocean would yield the answer, she remained silent and still and left the pirate cast adrift in a darkness of uncertainty that was unfamiliar to him, and it made him remember a youth that he wanted never to revisit as long as he was alive. Roger clasped his hands together in front of him and gritted his teeth as he felt a wave of anger and guilt, in equal measures, wash over him. If he was not careful, it would drag him down like an under tow and he truly would lose Rouge and his boys to this Government dog. Roger was being backed into a corner, and that was never a good place to force a pirate into, for no one fought harder than a cornered pirate.

Roger did something he had never done before, he prayed. He prayed to the only thing that truly ever had control of his life. The only thing he would ever bow to, the only thing that could control him. He prayed to the ocean Herself for guidance, for some type of miracle that would give him even the faintest idea where to find the people he loved. The ocean had always been a constant companion to him, had lulled him to sleep when he was traveling and had guided him to both safety and where he had needed to go time and time again. The ocean could be a cruel mistress, it was true. Roger had seen many a good man and ship dragged into the murky depths and crushed against rocks in a violent storm. Though in the same breath the ocean had been just as merciful and kind, there was no deity that any sailor trusted more.

Roger didn’t know if She would answer, if She did it wasn’t always obvious what her guidance meant.

“Are you alright Roger?” Rayleigh seemed to be developing a habit of discovering Roger in weakened states.

“I was asking for help,” Roger admitted quietly as he lifted his head up into the starry sky. Dark eyes searching an even darker sky in hopes of finding an answer that could have been hidden in the stars. Even if there was one, it was not his to know at this moment as he could see nothing but the twinkling of a million stars in the black blanket that enveloped the world a gave way to a beautiful sky. It’s beauty meant very little at the moment, his heart was heavy with sick and worry and stole from him any enjoyment that he would normally gather from standing here. All he saw was silent observers, judging every action and call that the Pirate King made.

“Did She answer?” Rayleigh asked, his tone all in seriousness. No sailor ever mocked the ocean, for it was one of the quickest ways to find yourself caught in a whirlpool or a typhoon of fury.

Roger let out a soft chuckle at that, running a hand through his hair before a heavy sigh escaped his lips.

“She will,” Rayleigh replied as he took his spot beside his Captain. “She has never, not, given an answer.

Roger knew that was true, sometimes it was not the answer you were hoping for or wanted, but She always gave an answer. Though asking for a miracle might be something She would be more willing to turn a blind eye to, but there was nothing that they wouldn’t try to bring Rouge and the boys home, and Roger was not so proud that he didn’t know when to ask for help when there was something that he could not figure out. A good Captain trusted his crew to do things that he could not, it was the only way that anyone survived on the ocean for any amount of time.

Rayleigh placed a hand on Roger’s shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze, even if both of them were far from sure about what the next action would be, but they were pretty sure it would come in another letter.

“They’re strong,” Rayleigh said with a nod of his head. “Those boys wouldn’t give anyone an ounce.”

The words were meant to bring comfort, to assure Roger that Shanks and Buggy would endure anything to keep Roger safe. There was no doubt how strong their loyalty was. Even Buggy, for all his faults, was a boy who understood the importance of nakama and being loyal to them.

“I know they are,” Roger replied. His voice was heavy with the weight of the knowledge that was upon his shoulders. “And I also know they will put those boys to their limits to see what can break them.”

The First Mate fell silent at that, because even if he refused to voice that out loud, the blonde man was no fool and knew exactly the extremes the Government would go to get something they want.

“Rouge isn’t prepared for that,” Roger continued. “She is a strong woman, but this isn’t something that’s suppose to happen to her.”

Loving him was not suppose to end with her being a pawn in someone’s scheme. Roger had expected that, maybe one day, she would have to read about his death in the paper but never was loving him suppose to put her on the execution platform herself. She was never suppose to be discovered.

Though wishing for what could and should have been got them nowhere, and although Roger was all for dreaming, in a situation like this there was no time for it, as dreaming could lead to deaths.

Rayleigh went to sleep for the night, bidding his Captain good night and insisting that he get some rest if he wanted to be able to continue their search in the morning, and Roger assured him that he would get some sleep.

“If I find you here in the morning, you’re gonna wish you had gone to bed,” the First Mate threatened, but it was the only time Roger knew the threat was empty.

The deck was empty with the exception of the night watch. The Roger Pirates were a large crew, the Oro Jackson was a large ship and demanded many hands to be able to get her to properly sail. Roger was grateful that his entire crew had not been slaughtered in the massacre.  
Enough had fallen, though, that to the Pirate Captain the absences were obvious. Roger took the time to know every single crewmen by name. They were nakama, they were his friends and had endured both good and bad times behind their Captain. Their adventures on the Grand Line would be nothing if not for good men who had pledged their loyalty to Roger’s flag. He knew every face that was still here, and was haunted by every face that had been laid to rest today and he would be haunted by those faces for as long as he continued to live.

The concern he had now, was were there going to be three more faces to hang onto his nightmares. Roger could not lose Rouge, he could not lose the woman that was his very heart and had only committed the crime of loving him. When had love become something punishable by the Government? He had told her, when they had first begun seeing each other, that he was a dangerous man and that she would be better off seeking some merchant in town. Rouge had insisted that she could never love someone like she had fallen for Roger, and he foolishly had fallen for her so hard that even now he was still falling. The Pirate King figured he would be spending the rest of his life falling for her, and he was completely fine with that.

Roger’s thoughts went to Shanks and Buggy then. No matter how brave and tough they acted, those boys had to be scared and were depending on him to come and get them out of danger. A crew always depended on their Captain, and Roger refused to leave any man behind and his cabin boys were no different, they were his nakama but more importantly he considered them his sons.

He could not allow his thoughts to dwell on what they could be enduring, he couldn’t imagine what sick and twisted game this assassin was playing, but he had taken it too far with taking people Roger loved.

He would get his miracle, he trusted that the ocean’s Goddess would answer him, She had never let him down before, even when Roger had nothing left to lose, fortune seemed to turn his way suddenly.

Roger could not waiver even for a fraction of a second.

Roger was playing a deadly game of cat and mouse, and he was playing for other people’s lives.

**Author's Note:**

> It's been a really long time since I've written any sort of fan fiction and its actually really nice to get back into the swing of it! A lot of this is my own interpretation of Roger and his relationship with his crew and Rouge, so he maybe slightly different then you are anticipating. Feel free to politely leave comments and your thoughts, I will read every single one of them. There will be a total of 7 chapters and one epilogue, though that is not set in stone and there may be more or less.   
> I don't own One Piece, it is property of Oda.


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